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Outrage in Niger/Mars rock sells for millions of dollars in New York, now the place where it was found demands answers

2025-08-11 12:33:29Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Outrage in Niger/Mars rock sells for millions of dollars in New York, now the
Stone from Mars

"Negligible! Negligible!" says Prof. Paul Sereno of Chicago, expressing his anger at the auction sale in New York of a rare meteorite from Mars, discovered two years ago in Niger, a country in West Africa. This fragment of the Red Planet, the largest ever discovered on Earth, sold for $4.3 million at Sotheby's, where the buyer and seller remained anonymous.

The paleontologist professor, with close ties to Niger, believes the meteorite should be returned to its country of origin. However, it is not clear whether any of the money went to Niger. The Nigerien government has expressed doubts about the legality of the export, raising concerns about illegal international trafficking.

The meteorite, scientifically named NWA 16788 (North-West Africa), was found in the Agadez region of the Sahara Desert on November 16, 2023 by an unidentified “meteorite hunter” and was later sold by the local community to an international dealer. It then went to a private gallery in Italy, where it was studied by professors from the University of Florence, and was briefly exhibited in Italy and then in New York.

Sotheby's says all international procedures were followed and documentation was in order throughout the export and sale process. But investigations by Niger are continuing to uncover the exact circumstances of the meteorite's discovery and export.

Prof. Sereno, founder of the organization NigerHeritage, is calling for the return of Niger's natural and cultural heritage, including meteorites that fall from space. He points out that international laws do not allow the export of objects important to national heritage, and that global agreements, such as those of UNESCO, try to regulate the trade of these objects, but legal uncertainties still exist for meteorites.

Niger has a heritage protection law that includes “mineral specimens,” but meteorites are not specifically mentioned, creating a legal loophole. The country is now investigating how such a heavy and conspicuous object could have been exported without permission from the authorities.

A similar situation has occurred in Morocco, where numerous meteorite finds have led to calls for better regulation of their trade. Professor Hasnaa Chennaoui Aoudjehane from Morocco says that meteorites are part of national heritage and identity, and that it is important to preserve and protect them.

Prof. Sereno hopes that the sale of the meteorite at Sotheby's will prompt Nigerien authorities to act and that the meteorite will be exhibited in a public museum, where Niger's open claim to its ownership will also be discussed.


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